Subsea satellite foundation unit and method for installing satellite body therewithin



United States Patent [72] Inventor Wlllim s 3,366,173 1/1968 McIntosh .L166/.5 a ha m 3,384,169 5/1968 Leonard 166/.5 [2;] 2 3:: 1967 3,391,7347/1968 Townsend 166/5 P'ateented 7 Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion[73] Assign Mob" on Corporation AsszstantExaminer-Richard E. Favreau acomm New York Attorneys-William J. Scherback, Frederick E. Dumoulin,

Alan G. Paul, Donald L. Dickersonaand Sidney A. Johnson SUBSE SATELLITEFOUNDATION UNIT AND [54] 8 FOR INSTALLING. SATELLITE BODY ABSTRACT: Thisspecification discloses a method and ap- THEREWITHIN paratus for lowennga satellite body through a body of water u nnwhgm 1 to a foundation unitrigidly fixed on a'marine bottom while preventing the motion of thesurface handling vessel, from [52] U.S- 166/51 which the satellite bodyis being lowered, from being trans- 61/46-5, 59 2 ferred to thesatellite body as it comes into contact with the iniEzlb 33/035 stalledfoundation unit. The apparatus comprises correspond- E2lb43/ol ingelements on the foundation unit: and the satellite body [50] Field ofSearch 166/.5, .6; hi h t lescope together, trapping water therebetween.A 61/4651 remotely controlled bleeding off of the trapped water permitsthe satellite body to settle at a controlled rate in the founda- [56]References Cited tion unit, the telescoping elements automaticallylocking UNITED STATES PATENTS together to insure that the satellite bodyis rigidly fixed in the 2,783,970 3/1957 Gillespie foundation unit. Thetelescoping elements also orient the 2,900,794 8/1959 Sutton satellitebody on the foundation unit so that stab connections 2,960,833 11/1960Hayward between the satellite body and subsea wellheads, mounted on3,302,709 2/1967 Postlewaite. the foundation unit, come into registryand interlock to con- 3,3l0,108 3/1967 Yancey nect subaqueous wellsdrilled through the foundation unit, 3,313,347 4/1967 Crain withproduction equipment within the satellite body. The sub- 3,326,2856/1967 C oberly sea operations are assisted by a submersible workvehicle in 3,332,484 7/1967 Watkins attendance at the underwater site. 3

as as 5s so PATENTED nzc 8|970 3545539 SHEET 1 [1F 2 I INVENTOR IWILLIAM E MANNING ATTORNEY aemwapwj PATENTEDDEBBIQYB 3545539 sum: or 2 hg)? V INVENTOR y; WILLIAM 1-7 MANNING ATTORNEYSUBSEA-SATELLITETOUNDATION UNIT. ANDilVIETHOD' FOR INSTALLING SATELLITEBODY BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention 7 This inventionrelates to a foundation unit and a subsea satellite body therefor,forming a subsea satellite station, so

designed as to control the contacting force between the foundation unitmounted on the marine bottom and a satellite body being lowered from asurface handling vessel, and to a method for installing the subseasatellite body in the foundation without transmitting surface wavemovements to the, satellite body as the satellite body comes in contactwith the previously installed foundation unit.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art has not atthis stagepresented adequate solutions to the problems associated with thelowering of a massive object from a floating surface handling vessel toa motionless foundation supported on the marine bottom. Any erraticmotion transmitted through the .objectbeing lowered from the surfacevessel, while the massive object is first contacting the foundation unitrigidly fixed to the marine bottom, could easi ly cost irreparable harmto both. The H. L. Shatto, Jr., US. Pat. No. 3,11 1,926. one of the fewissued patents actually disclosing a subsea production satellitestation, obviates this problem by providing a permanently buoyantsatellite body which is held inposition by tensioned anchor lines. Suchan arrangement, however, has its own inherent problems such as thenecessity of constantlyreba'llasting the structure to hold a constantbuoyancy under changing conditions and the ever present danger of thebuoyant satellite breaking loose from its anchoring lines anddestroyingany and all equipment above. The .l. A. I-Iaeber US. Pat. No.3,261,398, issued on Jul. 19, 1966, illustrates an entire subsea systemhaving elements installed on a marine bottom. However, in this patentthe procedures and equipment necessary for installing the bottomsupported elements of the system are not disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION lower end. Above the partition each stabbingsleeve has an annular ring fixed therein and between the respectiveannular ring and partition, a port, theports of all of the stabbingsleeves being connected by "a manifold. Fluid pressure in the manifoldis controlled by a bleed valve actuatable from outside of the frameworkof the foundation unit by a submersible work vehicle attending thesatellite installation procedure.

After the satellite foundation has beeninstalled on the marine bottomand wells are completed through all of the foundation jackets, withtheir wellheads mounted on the upper ends of the jackets, a negativelybuoyant satellite body is lowered from a surface handling vessel towardthe foundation unit. The satellite body has a plurality of cylindricalstabbing columns depending vertically therefrom in such a configurationthat one of thestabbing columns will fit into each of the open stabbingsleeves of the foundation unit forming therewith pairs of telescopingelements. The satellite body is angularly oriented with respect to thefoundation unit with the help of one of the stabbing columns which islonger than the others. This-longer stabbing column can be telescopedslightly into the corresponding stabbing sleeve first to provide an axisaround which the satellite body is then rotated until the other stabbingcolumns are aligned with their respective stabbing sleeves. As all ofthe stabbing sleeves enter into the respective stabbing columns, thevalve, controlling the bleeding off of trapped water within the stabbingsleeves of the foundation unit'beneath the telescoping stabbing columnsof the satellite body, is closed and the hoisting line between thesatellite and the surface vessel is slacked off and/or removed so thatthe satellite body is supported solely on the trapped columns of water.The rate of descent of the satellite body into the foundation unit isnow controlled by the opening of the bleed control valve, eonnectedinthemanifold system of the stabbing sleeves, by the submersible work vehiclewhich has a socket wrench on an articulated arm thereof for rotating aspeciallydesigned valve actuatori-As the stabbing columns of thesatellite body seat in thestabbing; sleeves of the foundation unit, thelower ends of the stabbing columns abut the internally fixed annularrings. As the ends of the stabbing columns abut the annular rings,circumferential grooves in the lower ends of the columns register withautomatic latches mounted in the walls of each of the stabbing sleeves.Detent fingers of the latches snap into circumferential grooves in therespective stabbing columns to secure the satellite body in place. Atthis time, the satellite body may be evacuated since it is preventedfrom rising by the connections with the foundation unit. The alignmentof the stabbing columns of the satellite body with the stabbing sleevesof the foundation unit causes proper registry between stab-overconnectors on the circumference of the shell of the satellite body andupstanding tubing nipples of the wellheads, topping the foundationjackets. As the satellite body settles into the foundation unit, thestab-over connectors telescope over the tubing nipples so as to providefluid paths between the subaqueous wells and production equipment withinthe interior of the satellite body.

When it is necessary to raise the satellite body back to the surface,the satellite body is caused to become negatively buoyant, after whichthe spring latches are mechanically retracted under the control of thesubmersible work vehicle. The manifold is pressured up to raise thelower ends of the stabbing columns out of contact with the stops in theinteriors of the stabbing sleeves and the hoist line is reconnected tothe surface vessel for raising the satellite body back to the surface.

It is seen from the just completed discussion that when there is contactbetween the satellite body and the foundation unit, surface movementsare not transmitted to the satellite body through the hoisting line.Therefore, it is possible to make the contact between the satellite bodyand the installed foundation unit as gentle as possible to preventstructural failures in either member. While the preceding discussion hasdealt primarily with installing the satellite body in the foundationunit, once the foundation unit has been installed, it is realized thatprior to this operation the foundation unit must be installed andleveled on the marinebottom. A three-piece foundation unit foraccomplishing-this operation is disclosed in the instant applicantscopending U.S.-Pa t. application Ser. No. 663,799 filed on Aug. 28,1967, now US. Pat. No. 3,504,740. Such an arrangement could be adaptedto the present foundation unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS handling vessel; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the stabbing sleeves ofthe foundation unit with a portion of a stabbing column of the satellitebody telescoped therewithin, particularly illustrating the structure ofa spring latch for fixedly connecting a stabbing column of the satellitebody into a respective stabbing sleeve of the foundation unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Now looking to FIG. 1,?a subseasystem for producing fluid minerals from a plurality of subaqueous wellsis illustrated as having a number of production subsea satellitestations, generally designated 10, spaced across a marine bottom 12,each satellite station being centrally positioned within a closelyspaced circular group of subsea wellheads 14. The produced fluids fromthe subaqueous wells are directed into the satellite stations 10 throughthe respective encircling subsea wellheads l4. The fluid streams beingproduced from the subsea wellheads 14 of each circular group arecombined within the respective enclosed satellite stations 10 and aredirected therefrom to a centralmain manifold 16 through a singleflowline 18 extending from each satellite station 10. A floating storagetank structure 20, having an above-surface platform 22 with anoffloading boom 24, is in fluid communication with the main manifold 16through the interior of a tensioned tether pipe 26 anchored through themain manifold 16.

In the upper left-hand comer of FIG. 1 is illustrated the installationof a satellite body 10 onto a foundation unit 50 fixed on, the marinebottom 12. The satellite body 10 is lowered from a surface handlingvessel 28 with a submersible work vehicle 30' being in attendance, nearthe marine bottom 12, to assist'in the ensuing operations. At the lowerend of FIG. 1, a'similar submersible work vehicle 30 is shown in alarger scale to illustrate better its features. The submersibleworkvehicle 30'(and 30') has a pair of articulated arms 32 and 34carrying a socket wrench 36 and a vise grip tool 38, respectively. Thesubmersible work vehicle 30 is further equipped with a pivotablepositioning motor 40 (one shown) on each "side to assist in locating thesubmersible work vehicle 30 adjacent a satellite station 10 when beinginstalled. A lower port 42 of the submersible work vehicle 30 isconnected with a rear compartment (not shown) within the shell thereofto per mit a diver to be released at the installation site if one shouldbe'need'edL' The rear compartment is isolated from the pilot's"compartments, seen through the front view plate 44, so that thediver'after exposure in deep water can be kept in compression in't'h'erear'compartrnent while the front compartment is maintained atatmospheric conditions. .This general type of submersible work vehicleis well knownin the art, and specific vehicles of this type are morefully described in application 7 Ser. No. 649,959 filed June 29, l967,of Warren B. Brooks,

Charles Ovid Baker, and Eugene L. Jones, and the references cited.therein. I Now looking to FIG. 2, the satellite body 10' and thefoundation unit 50 are shown in more detail. The satellite body 10' I islowered from the surface handling vessel 28 with a crane 46 and aninterconnecting cable 48 to install the satellite body 10" in thefoundation unit 50, through which a plurality of subaqueous wells havebeen drilled and completed. The foundation unit 50 comprises an outercircle of foundation jackets 52 each extending a short distance into theunconsolidated upper formations of the marine bottom 12 and supportingthe founfdation' unit 50, at least prior to the wells being completedtherethrough by enlarged circumferential bearing plates 54 (or a singlelarge bearing mat). Parallel horizontal brace portions 56 fixedlyinterconnect the adjoining foundation jackets each adjoining pair offoundation jackets 52 and the respective interconnecting parallel braceportions 56.

, Within the parallel polygons formed by the upper and lower braceportions 56, and rigidly fixed thereto, are a pair of spaced horizontaltriangular forms each comprising three braces 60,'for supporting withinthe apexes thereof, vertical stabbing sleeves 62. Each of the stabbingsleeves 62 has an intermediate partition or cap 64 (seen within thebroken away portion of the far right-hand stabbing sleeve 62) weldedacross release mechanism controlled by the rotation of a rigid 52. Foradditional bracing, a diagonal 58 is located between horizontalretractor rod having an actuator head 82 on the outer end. thereof. Theactuator head 82, an enlarged polygonal element 84 with a terminalconical section 86, is designed to be rotated by the socket wrench 36carried by the articulated arm 32 of the submersible work vehicle 30.The ports 68 in the walls of the stabbing sleeves 62 are interconnectedthrough a manifold 70. One of the stabbing sleeves 62 also has a'secondport 72 to which is fixed the inner end of a rigid horiZontal tube 74. Ashutoff valve 76 is fixed to the tube 74 near the outer end thereofbeyond the periphery of the cir cular configuration of jackets 52. Thevalve 76 has an actuator head similar to the aforementioned actuatorhead 82 (shown diagrammatically) that is designed to be rotated also bythe socket wrench 36 on the articulated arm 32 of the submersible workvehicle 30. I

The satellite body 10', being lowered from the surface handlingvessel-26 by the cable 48, has a plurality of stab-over connector units86 for mating with upstanding tubing nipples 88 of the wellheads 14 toextend production and control passages 14a of the subaqueous wells intothe shell of the satellite body 10'. Each connector unit 86 has a fluidpassage 86atherethrough, the lower end of which is adapted to receivenipple 88 therein to fonn a fluid connection. Connector unit 86 has beenshown schematically since any known stab-over units can be used, e.g.,one such as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,090,437, issued May 21, 1963,Passages 86a allow flow of produced minerals from wellhead 14 toproduction equipment 87 which is located inside satellite body 10'.Production equipment 87 is preferably of thetype shown in US. Pat. No.3,366,173, issued Jan. 30, 1968. The stab-over connector units 86 are,spaced around the shell of-the satellite body 10' so .that-one stab-overconnector unit 86 is provided for each wellhead 14. The satellite body10 also has one elongated vertical stabbing column 90 and a pair ofshorter vertical stabbing columns 92 arranged to telescope into thestabbing sleeves 62 to orient the satellite body 10 with respect to thefoundation unit 50 to provide proper registry for the stab-overconnectorunits 86. Each ofthe stabbing columns 90 and 92 has at least one sealingO-ring 96 mounted in a circumferential groove thereon and a lower opencircumferential groove 98. A reversible dynamic positioning motor 94 ismounted on the shell of the satellite body 10' to rotate the satellitebody 10' to provide for proper alignment. Alternatively, water or airjets (not shown) can. be provided to perform the same function. At leastan air line 104 and an electrical line 106 are connected between thesatellite body 10' and the surface handling vessel 28. The satellitebody 10' also has a buoyancy control port 100 extending from the lowerend thereofiwhich is controlled by a valve 102. The valve 102 has anextended valve actuator, shown only diagrammatically, of the typepreviously described.

In operation, as the satellite body 10'v is lowered from the surfacehandling vessel 28, it is caused to be negatively buoyant by opening thevalve 100 to flood at least a portion of the interior thereof. Theamount of water allowed to enter the satellite body 10' can becontrolled from the surface handling vessel 28 through the air line 104or from the submersible work vehicle 30'. As the satellite body 10' islowered through the water, it is so aligned that the longer stabbingcolumn 90 telescopes into one of the stabbing sleeves 62. The satellitebody 10' is then rotated until the other two stabbing columns 92 arecoaxial with the respective stabbing sleeves 62. This alignment isbrought about, from the surface vessel 28, under thedirection of thesubmersible workvehicle 30', either by the control of the positioningmotor 94 through electrical line 106, or by the application of airthrough the line 104 and selected air jets fixed in the shell of thesatellite body 10'. When the proper alignment is obtained, the satellitebody 10' is lowered until the shorter stabbing columns 92 are justwithin the upper end of the stabbing sleeves 62. At this time the valve76, which has been open until this time, is closed to trap water withinthe stabbing sleeves 62 above the intermediate partitions 64, and thecable 48 is slacked off from the surface hanthrough the tube 74 to raisethe satellite body 10' enough,

with the stabbing columns 90, 92 still in ;the stabbing sleeves 6 2, toslack off the cable; 48. The cable 48 can be'discon nected thereafterat-anytin'ieL-1'lhe-valve 76 is then gradually opened slowly toallowwater to escape at a predetermined rate from the sleeve through themanifold 70 so that the satellite body 10' slowlysettles into thestabbing sleeves 62 until the lower ends of the stabbing columns 90 and92 abut the annular rings 66; As thes'tabbing columns 90 and 92 settledown into the stabbing sleeves. 62, spring latches 78 lockinto the opencircumferential grooves'98 in the stabbing colunins 90 and 92, securingthe satellite body 10' cradled in placelin the foundation unit 50. Airmay. then be pumped into the satellite-body -10f,.,'through theline104fto evacuate the excess water, the valve 100 then being shut, leavingthe satellite body 10"filled with'air and-buoyantbut'held fixedlyadjacent the marine bottom 12' cradledj'in its foundation'unit 50. Arepresentative springlatch78is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. The latch.78 consists of (a camming detent finger 108 reciprocally mounted in acutout '110 in the inner wall of .the respective stabbing. sleeve 62.The detent finger 108 is reciprocally received in the opencircumferential groove 98 in the-illustrated stabbing column 90 by firstcamming the detent finger 108 outward with .thelower end of the stabbingcolumn 90 moving down through the interior of the sleeve 62, the detentfinger 108 springing inward into the open groove '98 as the groove 98andthecutout 110 come into registry. The detent finger- 108 is inwardlybiased by a coil compression spring 112 located in the cutout .110behind the detent finger 108. The retractor rod 80, extends from thedetent finger 108 through the center of the coil spring 112 in thecutout 110, a

center bore 1 13 in the wallof the sleeve 62 connecting the eutoutllwith the, outer face of the wall of the sleeve 62, and terminates, aspreviously described, in an enlarged activator head 82 at a distancefromthesleeve 62. The retractor rod 80 is connected to the detent finger 108by a flange 114 axially fixed in an enlarged coaxial bore section 118 ofa bore 116 of the detentfinger 108 by a snap ring 119 locked into anundercut groove in the enlarged bore section 118. The enlarged boresectionzl l8 is closed, at its inner end, by a hardened camming plate-120 bolted over the inner face of the detent finger 108. Outwardof thestabbing sleeve 62, the retractor rod 80 extends through an coaxialaperture 125 in a waterproof compartment l-22 fixed to the outer wall ofthe stabbing sleeve. An O-ring'l24 in the inner wall of the aperture125provides a rotatable and slidable seal between the retractor rod 80 andthe compartrnent 122. A nut 126 is threaded on a portion of theretractor rod 80 within the waterproof compartment 122, the nut 126being jnonrotatably slidable on a pair of parallel pins 128tightly-threaded into horizontal tapped holes in the outer wall of thestabbing sleeve 62 withintl'ie compartment 122. With this arrangement,the downward movement of b the stabbingcolumn 90 into conjunction withthe detent finger 108 would cam the detentfinger 108 outward against theaction of the spring 112. The slidable mounting of the nut 126 on thepins 128 allows the nut 126 .to move outward, within the compartment122,"as the retractor rod 80 is driven outward due to the outwardmovement of the detent finger 108. When the circumferential groove 98of. the respective stabbing column 90 comes into registry with cutout110, the detent finger 108'springs inwardly intoth'e circumferentialgroove 98 to axially fix the stabbing column 90 with respect to the istabbing sleeve 62.

' When the satellite body is'to be raised back out of the foundationunit 50, the springtlatches 78 must be released. This is accomplished byrotating the retractor rod 80 with the socket wrench tool 36, carried onan articulated arm 32 of the submersible work vehicle 30,-thesocketwrench tool 36 mating with the actuator head 82 located on the outer endof the retractor rod 80. A prescribed direction of rotation of theretractor rod 80 will shift the'retractor rod 80 outward, the reactionforces causing the nut 126 to abut tightly against the outer wall of thestabbing sleeve 62, to completely withdraw the detent finger 108 fromthe circumferential groove 98. The release of the spring latches 78permits the stabbing columns 90 and 92 to move axially upward withrespect to the stabbing sleeve 62. Prior to reinstalling the, satellitebody 10 in the foundation unit 50, the retractor rods 80 of all of thelatching units 78 should be rotated in the reverse direction to againallow the position of the-detent finger 108 to be controlled byreconnected to the satellite body 10' with the assistance of the visegrip tool 38 carried on an arm 34 ofthe submersible vehicle 30. Thevalve 100 is opened long enough to allow enough water to enter thesatellite body 10' to obtain a slight negative buoyancy of the satellitebody 10' and then is closed. With the satellite body 10' negativelybuoyant, the three latches 78 are retracted with the aid of thesubmersible {work vehicle 30, after which fluid under pressure isapplied within the stabbing sleeves 62 above the partitions 64 andbeneath the stabbing columns 90, 92 to raise thesatellitejbody 10 up inthe foundation unit 50 with the stabbing columns 90, 92 still partiallytelescoped within the stabbing sleeves 62. At this time the cable 48 istensioned by the crane 46 and the satellite body 10' is hoisted to thesurface. If the'fluid under pressure applied within. the stabbingsleeves is air, this will act as a cushion when the cable 48 istensioned and some surface motions are transferred therethrough duringthe preliminary portion'of the raising operan'o'n. If water is appliedwithin the stabbing sleeves, the valve 78 should be opened as the cableis tensioned to prevent surface motions-from being transferred to thefoundation unit 50. The fluid under pressure in the stabbing sleeves 62,for raising the satellite body 10' up in the foundation unit 50, isobtained by injecting air into the stabbing sleeve 62 through intemalconduits 130 coaxially locatedwithin the stabbing columns 90 and 92 andselectively connected at their upper ends within the satellite body 10'to the air line 104. Alternatively,- a fluid connector portion may befixed on the outer end of the rigid tube 74 so that an air lineextending from the surface handling vessel 28 can be connected theretoto pump. the air through the manifold 70 into the stabbing sleeves 62 inconjunction withthe opening of the valve 76 by the submersible workvehicle 30. Still another alternative, also utilizing a fluid connectionwith the tube 74 would be that of having a retractable flexible linecarried by the submersible work vehicle 30, which. could be plugged intothe fluid connector portion on theouter end of the tube 74. A

Although the present invention has been described incon nection withdetails of a specific method and apparatus, it is to be understood thatsuch details are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Theterms and expressions employed are used in a descriptive and not alimiting sense and there is no intention of excluding such equivalentsin the invention described as fallwithin the scope of the claims. Forinstance, the positioning of the stabbingcolumns and stabbing sleevescould be reversed, the stabbing sleeves being fixed to the satellitebody 10 and the stabbing columns fixed to the foundation unit. Othermodifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the inventionwill be obvious to the reader. Now having described the apparatus andmethod herein disclosed,

reference should be had to the claims which follow.

vertical stabbing sleeve, said stabbing sleeve being open at the upperend thereof to receive a depending stabbing column of a fluid port. 9. Asubsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 8, wherein thereis an annular ring fixed within said stabbing sleeve above said fluidport. m r 10. A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 1,

said foundation unit being fixedly supported on a marine bottom, atleast one vertical foundation jacket forming an integral portion of saidfoundation unit, a subaqueous well completed -7 satellite body beinglowered rough a body of water to said 2. A subsea satellitefoundationunit, as recited in claim 1, wherein there are a' plurality of verticalstabbing sleeves, 'each of said plurality of stabbingsleeves being openatthe upper" end thereof toreceive one of a'plurality of dependingstabbing columns of a' satellite body being lowered through a body ofwater, to said foundation unitysaid means for simultaneously controllingthe pressure of fluid trapped within each of said stabbing sleevescomprising 'a 'manifold interconnecting the inv teriors of said stabbingsleeves; I 3. A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 1,

. w v 8 tion of said plurality of stabFg sleeves with a plurality ofstabbing columns providing the proper orientation to register a stabover connector unit of a satellite body with said upwherein said meansfor controlling the pressure of fluid trapped within each of saidstabbing sleeves comprises a valve,

and a valve actuating-meansextending beyond said foundation unit wheresaid actuating means can be reached and con- I trolled from an attendantsubmersible work vehicle.

, 4. A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 1,

'5. A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 4,

'wherein there is means for yieldably inwardly biasing said antomaticlatching means wherebythe telescoping of a stabbing c'olumn into said"stabbing sleeve will depress said detent finger of said automaticlatching means outwardly into the wall of said stabbing sleeve, saiddetent finger moving inwardly again when a groove in the-'"w'allofastabbing column telescoping into said'stabbing sleeve comes intoregistry therewith.

' 6. A subsea satellite'foundation unit, as recited in claim 5, whereinthere is a manual retracting means for moving said detent fingeroutwardly into said wall of said stabbing sleeve to release a stabbingcolumn secured in said stabbing sleeve, said manual retracting meanscomprising a retractor rod extending {outwardly of said stabbing sleeve.

7. A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 6,

' wherein said retractor rod extends out beyond said foundation unit andterminates, at the outer end thereof, in an enlarged head which can beactuated by a tool carried by an articulated arm of a submersible workvehicle.

8. A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 1,

I {wherein said means for controlling the pressure of fluid {trappedwithin said stabbing sleeve comprises a fluid port in the wall of saidstabbing sleeve and a partition in said stabbing sleeve sealing saidinterior of said stabbing sleeve below said through said, foundationjacket and terminating in a subsea wellhead mounted onthe upper end ofsaid foundation jacket, and an upstanding tubing nipple for extendingeach producstanding tubing nipple, of said subsea wellhead mounted onsaid foundation jacket of said foundation unit.

necting said foundation jackets in vertical alignment, a plurali-' ty ofstabbing sleeves, means for rigidly interconnecting said stabbingsleevesin vertical alignment and-for rigidly fixing said plurality ofstabbing sleeves within said plurality of foundation jackets, saidstabbing sleeves each being open at the upper end thereof to receive acorresponding depending stabbing column of a satellite body loweredthrough abody of water to said foundation unit located on a marinebottom, a port in the wall of each of said stabbing sleeves, partitionmeans sealing the interior of each of said stabbing sleeves belowsaidrespective port, and an annular. ring fixed within each of saidstabbing sleeves above said respective port in said stabbing sleeve,'amanifold extending between said ports for interconnecting the interiorsof said stabbing sleeves, valve means associated with said manifold forcontrolling the pressure of fluid within each of saidstabbing sleeves asthe depending stabbing columns of a satellite enter said stabbingsleeves, manual means for actuating said valve means, said manual meansbeing located beyond said peripheral foundation jackets, a releasableautomatic latching meansmounted on each of said stabbing sleeves, eachofsaid releasable automatic latching means being provided with a detentfinger and means for yieldably biasing said detent finger inward so thatsaid detent finger will be yieldably depressed outward into the wall ofsaid stabbing sleeve as a stabbing column telescopes into said stabbingsleeve camming said detent finger outward, said detent finger beingadapted to moveinward into a groove in the wall of a stabbing column asa groove in the wall of a stabbing column comes into registry therewithto secure a stabbing column in said respective stabbing sleeve, andmanual retracting means for moving said detent finger out of a groove ina stabbing column and outward into said wall of said being located on amarine bottom, a subaqueous well completed through at least one of saidfoundation jackets, said completed subaqueous well comprisingasubaqueous wellhead mounted'on the upper end of one of said foundationjackets, an upstanding tubing nipple connected to each production andcontrol passage of said subaqueous well, extending from said wellheadwhereby, when a satellite body is lowered to said foundation unit, andits depending stabbing columns telescope into said stabbingsleeves, astab-over connector unit of the satellite body registers with saidupstanding tubing nipple of said subsea wellhead to form a fluidconnection from said subaqueous well into the shell of the satellitebody.

14. A subseasatellite station comprising said satellite foundation unit,with at least one subaqueous well completed through the foundationjackets thereof, as recited in claim 13, further comprising a satellitebody cradled in said foundation I unit, said satellite body having aplurality of depending tion and control passage of said subsea wellheadwhereby a stab-over connector unit of a satellite body will telescopeover said upstanding tubing nipple when a stabbing column de- I pendingfrom a satellite body. telescopes fully into said stabbing sleeve andsaid satellite body is properly oriented with respect to said foundationunit.

' l 1 A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 10,wherein there are a plurality of stabbing sleeves on said foundationunit for .coacting with a plurality of corresponding stabbing columnsdepending from a satellite body, the coacsaid stabbing columns in saidstabbing sleeves, at least one stab-over connector unit fixed to theshell of said satellite body, said stab-over connector unit having afluid path therewithin extending into the shelliof said satellite bodyand being in fluid connection with production equipment withincorresponding stabbing sleeve and then saidsatellite body is rotated toalign said other stabbing columns and the corresponding stabbingsleeves.

16. A subsea satellite station comprising a foundation unit rigidlyfixed on a marine bottom of a body of water and a satellite body cradledin said foundation unit, at least one pair of telescoping elementsforming a connection between said satellite body and said foundationunit, one element of said pair of telescoping elements being fixed tosaid foundationunit, the

other element of said pair of telescoping elements being fixed V to saidsatellite body, a means for controllingthe bleeding off of water trappedbetween said telescoping elements as said satellite body is lowered intosaid foundation unit rigidly fixed on said marine bottom and said pairof elements telescope fully together. g i

17. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 16, wherein one ofsaid elements of said pair of telescoping elements is a stabbingcolumnof cylindrical configuration.

18. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 17, wherein theother element of said pair of telescoping elements is a stabbing sleevehaving a cylindrical passage open at least at the upper end-thereof. a T

19. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 17, wherein the axisof said cylindrical stabbing column is vertically oriented when saidelements are telescoped together with said foundation unit rigidly fixedon said marine bottom.

20. A subsea satellite body adapted to be cradled on a marine bottom ina preinstalled foundation unit comprising a watertight shell, aplurality of stabbingcolumns depending from said shell of said satellitebody inapattem corresponding to a plurality of stabbing sleeves on thispreinstalled foundation unit, and aplurality ofstab-over connector unitsspaced around said shell of said satellite body, each stab-overconnector unit having at least fiuid path therein extending into saidshell of said satellite body whereby said stab-over connector units cancoact with upstanding nipples of spaced subsea wellheads of subaqueouswells completed throughthe preinstalled foundation unit to form fluidpaths from subaqueous wells into said shell of said satellite body.

21. A subsea satellite body adapted to be cradled on a marine bottom ina preinstalled foundation unit comprising a watertight shell and aplurality of vertical, spaced stabbing columns depending from said shellof said satellite body in a pattern corresponding to a plurality ofstabbing sleeves of a foundation unit to be utilized therewith whereinone of said plurality of vertical, spaced stabbing columns is longerthan the others of said plurality of stabbing columns whereby saidlonger stabbing column will begin to telescope into a correspondingstabbing sleeve before the others-pf said stabbing columns, whereby whensaid longer stabbing column starts to telescope into the respectivestabbing sleeve, said satellite body can be rotated around said longerstabbing column to provide proper alignment of the others of saidstabbing columns with the respective stabbing sleeves.

22. A subsea satellite body, as recited inclaim 21, wherein there ismeans associated with said satellite'body for reacting with thesurrounding water for rotating said satellite body around said longerstabbing column whensaid longer stabbing column is telescoped partiallyin its corresponding stabbing sleeve. u 1 l i 23. A subsea satellitebody, as recited in claim 22, wherein said means for rotating saidsatellite bodyin surrounding water is a positioning motor mounted on theoutside of said shell of said satellite body.- r

24. A method for installing a subsea satellite body in a satellitefoundation unit fixed on a marine bottom of a body of water to form asubsea satellite station, said satellite body comprising a watertightshell, said method comprising the following steps:

a. causing said satellite body to be negatively buoyant;

b. lowering said satellite body to said foundation unit fixed on saidmarine bottom from a surface handling vessel by a cable;

c, partially telescoping at least one pair of elements, a first elementof said pair of elements being fixed to said satellite body and a secondelement of said pair of elements being fixed to said foundationunit,'while still supporting said satellite body bysaid cable;

d. at least slacking off on said cable while supporting said satellitebody on a column of water trapped between said elements of said pair oftelescoping elements; and

e. bleeding water from said column of water to further telescope saidpair of elements to fully cradle said satellite body in said foundationunit.

25. A method for installing a subsea satellite body in a satellitefoundation unit fixed on a marine. bottom of a body of water to form asubsea satellite station, said satellite body comprising a watertightshell, said method comprising the following steps: I t

a. causing said satellite body to be negatively buoyant;

b. lowering said satellite body to said foundation unit fixed on saidmarine bottom from a su ace handling vessel by a cable;

0. partially telescoping a plurality of depending stabbing columns ofsaid satellite body into respective vertical stabbing sleeves of saidfoundation unit while still supporting said satellite body by saidcable;

d. supporting said satellite body on trapped columns of water in saidstabbing sleeves beneath said stabbing columns;

e. at least slacking off on said lowering cable; and

f. bleeding water from said columns of 7 water to further telescope saidstabbing columns into said stabbing sleeves to fully cradle saidsatellite body insaid foundation unit.

26. A method for installing a subsea satellite body in a satellitefoundation unit, as recited in claim '25, wherein one of said dependingstabbing columns is longer than the others, including the followingadditional steps prior to step c:

g. partially telescoping said longer of said plurality of dependingstabbing columns into the corresponding stabbing-sleeve while stillsupporting said satellite body by said cable; and

h. rotating said satellite body until said others of said plurality ofdepending stabbing columns are aligned with the corresponding stabbingsleeves.

27. A method for installing a subsea satellite body in a satellitefoundation, as recited in claim 25, wherein there is a manifoldinterconnecting the trapped columns of fluid within said stabbingsleeves beneath said stabbing columns, and valve means including amanual actuator on said foundation unit for bleeding said trapped columnof fluid, including the following additional step:

i. moving said manual actuator by a tool carried on an articulated armof a submersible work vehicle observing the installation procedure.

28. A method for installing a subsea satellite body in a satellitefoundation unit, as recited in claim 25, wherein a releasable automaticlatching means is mounted on each of said stabbing sleeves, each of saidreleasable automatic latching means having a detent finger extendinginto the interior of the respective stabbing sleeve, and a correspondinggroove formed on each of said stabbing sleeves for receiving said detentfinger, including the following additionalstep to be per-- formed aspart of step f:

j. telescoping said plurality of depending stabbing columns into saidcorresponding stabbing sleeves until said detent fingers of saidautomatic latching means engage in said grooves of said stabbing columnsto, lock said satellite body cradled in said foundation unit.

